Benue Assembly Suspends Aondona Dajoh Days After His Resignation As Speaker

The Benue State House of Assembly has suspended its former Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, for three months over allegations that he attempted to impeach Governor Hyacinth Alia.

The decision came after a motion was raised on Tuesday by Terna Shimawua, the lawmaker representing Kyan State Constituency, and seconded by James Umoru from Apa.

Interestingly, Shimawua was among those suspended by Dajoh last Friday before his resignation as Speaker.

Current Speaker Alfred Berger, who presided over Tuesday’s session, reduced Dajoh’s suspension from six months to three months, and the decision was adopted without the usual voting process.

In another dramatic shift, the Assembly also reversed itself on the nomination of Timothy Yangien Ornguga as commissioner.

Ornguga, a law lecturer at Benue State University, had been rejected last week under Dajoh’s leadership.

However, Speaker Berger, while reading a letter from Governor Alia, announced the screening of five new commissioner-nominees, including Ornguga.

The governor argued that both Ornguga and James Dwem, who had also been turned down earlier, had not been convicted of any crime despite petitions against them, and therefore deserved to be confirmed.

Unlike last week’s heated opposition, lawmakers raised no objections, allowing Berger to confirm the two nominees without a voice vote.

The House also reinstated three political appointees previously suspended by the governor, including Grace Adagba, Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board; Maxwell Ogiri, Chairman of Otukpo Local Government; and Michael Uper, Secretary of the State Lottery Board.

KanyiDaily recalls that yesterday, Aondona Dajoh announced the death of his elder brother, Gwamile Dajoh.